Comedy legend Dave Chappelle arrives in Kenya for a special performance

The sudden show, which was announced less than 48 hours to the D-Day, caught many Kenyans by surprise with many expressing regret at not being able to attend the comedic icon's maiden performance due to the abrupt ticketing.

According to Punchline Comedy Club, who are the official promoters of the rare event, the Chappelle show will kick off at 8.00PM. Tickets going for Ksh. 7,000 were sold out in just two hours.

The event is simply dubbed: "Dave Chappelle".

Further, strict regulations mean that concert-goers will have to surrender their mobile phones, recording devices and smartwatches to the event's management as no form of recording will be allowed in the auditorium.

"No cellphones, cameras or recording devices will be allowed at this show. Upon arrival, all phones and smart watches will be secured in Yondr pouches that will be unlocked at the end of the show," Punchline Comedy Club announced on Instagram. 

"Guests maintain possession of their phones throughout the night, and if needed, may access their phones at designated Yondr unlocking stations in the lobby." 

The statement went on to say that anyone who flouted the said rules would be ejected from the venue, as Dave Chappelle and his production company Pilot Boy Productions, owned all the rights to the content and material delivered during his performance. 

"Anyone caught with a cellphone in the venue will be immediately ejected," the statement added. 

"Pilot Boy Productions, Inc. and/or Dave Chappelle own all rights in the content and materials, including any jokes and sketches (the "Materials"), delivered during his performance."

Characteristically, Chappelle has not mentioned the event on any of his social media platforms and even though credible quarters have announced that he is already in Kenya, neither he nor the event organisers have shared photos and videos documenting his arrival.

However, in an exclusive interview with Tuko, Erick, the man behind the show, revealed that Chappelle was indeed, in Kenya and that various attempts to get him to meet powerful figures were unfruitful.

“He’s in the country. He does not do things by second chances. We had the office of the senate of Nairobi asking for tickets. We’ve had a request from the state house for him to meet the president, but unfortunately, the way his schedule is set up, he does not have time to do that. The arts do not accept hierarchy," he said.

It is not unusual for Dave Chappelle to host arena shows and sold-out concerts without hyping it up on social media.

For instance, even though he's been on a high-energy performance streak over the last several months, appearing across major cities across the world, he has not mentioned none of it on Instagram - where he boasts 3.2 million followers.

The last time Chappelle made an Instagram post was back in April, 2023 and this was a tribute to famed actor and humanitarian Harry Belafonte.

As one of the most widely-respected stand-up comedians in the world, Chappelle is also known for various controversial topics which he chooses to brazenly address in his shows.

Just a few days ago, controversy once again erupted at an Abu Dhabi show when, while urging Americans to fight antisemitism so Jews don’t feel like they need to be protected by Israel, Chappelle said that a “genocide” was striking the Gaza Strip.

“What is happening in Gaza is a direct result of anti-Semitism in the West,” he said.

“If you are in America, the best thing you can do is to make American-Jews feel safe, feel loved and supported so they can know they don't have to support a country that is committing genocide just to feel safe.”

While his statement drew cheers from the audience - it garnered widespread condemnation from the Western world and Israel too. 

Chappelle, 50, won the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2019.